BYON8, a Swedish-based Digital Health startup has raised Ksh. 163 million (USD 1.5 million) in seed funding to fuel its growth in Africa. The round was led by People Ventures, a Danish early-stage technology investor, with continued participation from current investors Jellyfish Invest and T&W Holding, a new investor.
Commenting on the funding, Claus Zibrandtsen, Managing Partner at People Venture said, “With 4 bn people living around the world without access to basic healthcare, there is an incredible opportunity for a product like BYON8 to improve access to healthcare. We are incredibly excited to partner with BYON8 and support them on their mission to make healthcare a right, not a privilege.”
BYON8 has developed a medical diagnostic software intended to improve people’s lives by building a foundation for the next generation of health care. The company’s software utilizes mathematical algorithms and medical artificial intelligence to transform patient data into calculated diagnosis propositions, thereby improving the healthcare process and customer experience regardless of their economic wealth.
Josef Murad, MD, CEO and Co-Founder of BYON8, “Having People Ventures lead our Seed round is a great recognition of the work we have done so far and of the continued growth and momentum we are experiencing. This capital will be used to fuel our growth in emerging markets starting with Kenya.”
The BYON8 app will enable people in emerging markets to be better connected to medical advice and treatment when they need it. Additionally, all users will have access to the BYON8 platforms that offer a rule-based diagnostic engine based on more than 3.5 billion patient cases and more than 100,000 rules.
BYON8 is centered around two core offerings, a free symptom checker that allows users to enter their symptoms and understand what might be causing them. The opportunity to schedule appointments with licensed MDs and get in touch through video or built-in chat.
BYON8 customers are turning to the startup for its great user experience, fair pricing, and the convenience of having instant access to high-quality doctors directly from the mobile phone. The company intends to fuel its growth through close and synergistic collaboration with strategic partners within, and in the periphery of, the healthcare ecosystem.